Machine for folding webs of indefinite length



March 10, 1970 F. M. BIGGAR, JR v 3,499,643 I MACHINE FOR FOLDING WEBSOF INDEFINITE LENGTH 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 4. 1967 INVENTOR.

FRANK M. BIGGAR, JR.

6 g gmi Q54 mg; ATTO JtEYS March 10, 1970 F. M. BIGGAR, JR 3,499,643

MACHINE FOR FOLDING WEBS OF INDEFINI'IE LENGTH Filed Oct. 4. 19s? 9Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTOP/VEYS INVENTOR.

FRANK M, BIGGAR, JR. BY @444 6%, Q pA q-Q March 10, 1970 F. M. BIGGAR,JR 3,499,643

MACHINE FOR FOLDING WEBS OF INDEFINITE LENGTH Filed Oct. 4, 1967 9Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 .9: mum- AT TORNEYS March 10, 1970 F. M.BIGGAR, JR

MACHINE FOR FOLDING WEBS OF INDEFINITE LENGTH Filed Oct. 4, 1967 GM -QMMarch 10, 1970 F. M. BIGGAR, JR 3,499,643

MACHINE FOR FOLDING WEBS OF INDEFINITE LENGTH 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledOct. 4, 1967 INVENTOR.

FRANK M. BIGGAR, JR

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A TTORNEYS March 0, 1970 v F. M. BIGGAR, JR 3,499,643

MACHINE FOR FOLDING WEBS OF INDEFINITE LENGTH Filed Oct. 4, 1967 9Sheets-Sheet 6 3i INVENTOR. d}! FRANK M.B|GGAR, an. BY

A TTORNEYS March 10, 1970 F. MJBIGG AR, JR

MACHINE FOR FOLDING WEBS 0F INDEFINITE LENGTH Filed Oct. 4. 1967INVENTOR.

FRANK M. BIGGAR, JR.

ATTORNEYS March 10, 1970 F. M. BIGGAR, JR

MACHINE FOR FOLDING WEBS OF INDEFINITE LENGTH 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 FiledOct. 4, 1967 oow 4 INVENTOR.

FRANK M. BIGGAR, JR.

QM, 6W4 M mm ATTORNEYS March 10, 1970 F. MQBIGGAR, JR 3,499,643

MACHINE FOR FOLDING WEBS OF INDEFINITE LENGTH Filed Oct. 4, 1967 9sheets-Sheet 9 30 36 I Q D/gD@@ INVENTOR.

FRANK M. BIGGAR, JR.

A T'TORN E YS United States Patent O ice 3,499,643 MACHINE FOR FOLDINGWEBS OF INDEFINITE LENGTH Frank M. Biggar, Jr., 150 Columbia Ave.,Wanakah, Hamburg, N.Y. 14075 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No.609,181,

Jan. 13, 1967. This application Oct. 4, 1967, Ser.

Int. Cl. B65]: 45/20 U.S. Cl. 27079 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA web of indefinite length is caused to issue lengthwise at apredetermined rate and simultaneously to be fed back and forth between apair of spaced folding assemblies. At each end of the feed stroke a loopis formed in the web at a corresponding folding assembly, whereafter thefolder closes upon to fold the web and hold it until the other folderfolds the web at the other end of the stroke, whereafter the firstfolder releases the web. The machine is adjustable to accommodate fordifferent lengths between folds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application forms acontinuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 609,181, filedJan. 13, 1967, now abandoned.

In the art of folding webs of indefinite length, there is a need foreffecting the folding operation in rapid fashion while also providingfor adjustment of the length of the web between folds.

In the present invention, the manner in which the web is moved andhandled allows the length between folds to be varied widely. Basically,the invention involves the combination of a web feeding mechanism incooperation with a pair of folding assemblies. The feeding mechanismpositively grips and feeds the web and issues it from an oscillating endof the feeding mechanism back and forth between the folding assemblies.The drives to the feeding mechanism and the folding assemblies arecoordinated so that at the end of each stroke of the feeding mechanism,the loop of web formed by the reversal of feeding mechanism motion islaid within the mouth formed by a corresponding folding assembly whichthereafter closes and folds the web loop and also holds it in tension inopposition to the retreating feed mechanism until the other foldingassembly folds and holds the web, whereupon the first fold is releasedin readiness for another folding operation.

There are many instances when it is desirable to fold a web ofindefinite length in zig-zag fashion to form serially edge-connectedrectangular sheets. Commonly, al though not necessarily, the web may beissuing from a printing press and the invention herein concerns meansfor feeding the web back and forth within a fixed path, which meansoperates in conjunction with mechanism for capturing, folding andtemporarily holding the sheets along their connected edges.

The lengthwise feed of the web is under strict control by the foldingmachine and thus can be adjusted to be compatible with the speed of anymachine or machines processing the web prior to its entry into thefolding machine. The web is positively controlled up to the point atwhich the folds are released, whereafter the zig-zag folded web isallowed to fall free to be gathered. The gathering, however, is effectedin such fashion as to maintain control over the freely falling web andassure smooth and continuous fiow of the web through the machine.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved folding assembliesfor capturing, folding and temporarily holding the web. These means arein the form of blade 3,499,643 Patented Mar. 10, 1970 assemblies locatedat the ends of the fixed path swept back and forth by the feed means andthe construction is such that adjacent blades are effective to rapidlyand positively move from a position in which they are widely spaced soas to readily allow the loop portions of the web effected by thereversal of motion of the feed means at its opposite ends of travel tobe received and wherein the blades move from this position quickly andpositively to closed position to capture, fold and temporarily hold thefolded Web.

Essentially, each blade assembly utilizes an endless chain or itsequivalent trained over a drive sprocket and an idler, in which theidler is of such dimensions relative to the links of the chain to causethe rapid action as aforesaid in response to relatively minute movementof the chain along its path. Adjacent blades Open wide as they pass overthe idler but very rapidly and positively close upon the loop of thecontinuous web fed thereinto so that the transition between wide open toclosed as regards adjacent blades is effected as quickly as possible soas to permit positive disposition of the loop between adjacent bladeswhile at the same time allowing the blades to close quickly thereupon soas to allow high speed operation without the danger of withdrawing theloop of the web from between the blades.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the machine constructed according tothis invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing certain of the internal drivearrangements of the machine;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged section of the folding device, as indicated bysection line 33 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view, partly in section, taken along the plane of sectionline 4-4 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the feeding mechanlsm;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, as seen fromsection line 6--6 in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the feeding mechanism asindicated along section line 77 in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic perspective of the main drive components;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged section of a part of the adjustment mechanismcorresponding to the circled portioin in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 10 is an interior vertical section illustrating the operation ofthe machine.

Basically, the machine consists of a frame indicated generally by thereference character 10 in FIGURE 1 which forms the support for thevarious working parts of the machine. As viewed in FIGURE 1, the web ofindefinite length enters the machine in horizontalfashion over the topleft upper edge of the machine and passes downwardly over a speedcontrol assembly which is indicated generally by the reference character12 in FIG- URE 5, the web of indefinite length being indicated generallyby the reference character 14 in that figure. Whereas it will be seenthat the speed control mechanism 12 in the specific form of theinvention shown includes a pair of pin Wheels 16 and 18 hereinafter moreparticularly described, it will be appreciated that the speed controlassembly may be formed in other and different fashions as for example bya pair of nip rollers or any other suitable means driven in such afashion and engaging the web of indefinite length in such manner as tocontrol the speed of passage thereof through the machine.

The Web of indefinite length 14 passes downwardly from the mechanism 12to a web feeding mechanism indicated generally by the referencecharacter 20 which terminates at its lower end in a mouth indicatedgenerally by the reference character 22 from which the web issues asindicated by the reference character 24, the month end of the feedmechanism 20 being swept back and forth in an oscillatory path betweenthe two folding assemblies indicated generally by the referencecharacters 26 and 28 in FIGURE 5.

The mechanism 20 includes pairs of opposed belts 30 across its widthwhich, for each pair, have coextensive flight portions which are in orsubstantially in contact with each other and between which the webpasses in its passage through the mechanism 20. The belts may beslightly overdriven with respect to the speed of the mechanism 12 sothat the web is maintained under slight tension within the mechanism 20.

As the web is fed back and forth between the two folding assemblies 26and 28, the transverse folds at predetermined longitudinal spacing onthe web are made as will hereinafter be more paritcularly explained andas is illustrated perhaps best in FIGURE whereafter the seriallyedge-connected rectangular sheets formed by the folding are released tofall freely from the assemblies 26 and 28 onto a gathering tableindicated generally by the reference character 30 in FIGURE 10 and as isalso shown in FIGURE 1. In falling from the folding assemblies 26 and 28to the gathering means 30, the edge-connected rectangular sheetsencounter a defleeting plate indicated generally by the referencecharacter 32 and a retarding brush 34 as are shown in FIG- URE 10positioned in such fashion that the sheets upon falling on the means 30which is, in essence, an endless conveyor moving in the direction of thearrow 3-6, are caused to assume a substantially vertical position as isshown in the right hand side of FIGURE 10 after passage from beneath theretarding means 34.

As much as is possible, the above-mentioned components of the machineare identified in FIGURE 1 so as to provide a unifying effect for thatparticular figure since the above components comprise the essential andmain working parts of the machine constructed and coordinated ashereinafter more particularly defined so as to achieve the requisitefolding action upon a web of indefinite length.

Referring now to FIGURE 8, the machine may be driven from a suitablepower source, not shown, which may drive the shaft 50 to a suitablechain 52 engaging the sprocket Wheel 54. The shaft 50 may carry afurther sprocket 56 which, through chain 58, drives the sprocket 60fixed to the counter shaft 62. The shaft 62 carries a fly wheel 64provided With a diametrically extending slot 66 within which a slide 68is located and which slide may be adjusted and fixed within apredetermined and definite position within the slot 66 eccentrically ofthe centerof the shaft 62. The slide 68 carries a suitable stub shaft 70upon which is journalled one end of the oscillating rod 72 which isbifurcated at its opposite end as indicated by the reference charactres74 and 76 and suitably cross-braced as at 78 and the ends of thebifurcations 74 and 76 thus braced are journalled or pivotally secured,as at 80, to the oscillating mechanism 20.

The shaft 50 carries a spur gear 82 which meshes with gear set 84 and 86ultimately to drive the shaft 88 of the sprocket 90 carried thereby forimparting drive, through the chain 92 to the feed wheel assembly 12which includes the two pin wheels 16 and 18. The stub shaft 94 whichcarries the gear 84 is carried by the block 96 which is clampinglyadjusted, through the mechanism 98, for rotational adjustment about theaxis of the shaft 88. The gear 84 of the gear set 84, 86 may be replacedby larger or smaller gears for the purpose of driving the feed wheelmechanism 12 at different speeds corresponding to the length betweenfolds desired.

The shaft 50 also carries a sprocket 100 which drives, thro gh the chain102, the procket 104 carried y the .4 shaft 106 which shaft is connectedthrough the flexible cable drive 108 to a sprocket 110 which drives thechain 112. The opposite end of the chain, as can be best seen in FIGURE1, passes over a sprocket 114 which drives the variable speed mechanism116 having a suitable control handle 118 and which variable speedmechanism 116 drives through its output shaft to the drive shaft 120 ofthe table mechanism 30, the connection not being specifically shown.Parallel to the drive shaft 120 and at the opposite end of the table asis shown in FIGURE 8, there is provided an idler shaft 122 and these twoshafts are provided with pulley devices 124 and 126 respectively whichsupport the endless belt mechanisms 128 which are driven in thedirection of the arrow 130 for transporting the folding paper ashereinafter more particularly described.

FIGURE 8 also shows portions of the main frame of the machine as, forexample, the side wall and certan of the cross braces 142 and 144 whichextend from this side wall to the opposite side wall 146 as shown inFIG- URE l.

The previously mentioned chain 92 passes over a sprocket 150 fixed tothe feed wheel drive shaft 152, which shaft carries the previouslymentioned pin wheels 16 and 18. The pin wheels are rotated by the shaft152 but are keyed thereto so as to be longitudinally slida'ble thereonto various adjusted positions for the purpose of accommodating fordifferent widths of the web which may be handled by the machine and, asis shown in FIGURE 5, a series of resilient discs 154 are interposedbetween the two pin wheels 16 and 18 to support the web between the pinwheels, it being appreciated that the discs may be positioned as desiredon the shaft 152 to accommodate for the variable spacing between the pinwheels 16 and 18. FIGURE 5 also shows the two guide bars and 162 beneathwhich the web passes and which guide bars assure that the web positivelyengages the pin wheels 16 and 18. The bars 160 and 162 are slotted attheir arcuate ends 166 and 168 to clear the pins on the wheels 16 and 18and these bars are mounted about horizontal axes to swing to one sidewhen placing the web in the machine. The bars are held down by wing nuts170 and 172 respectively carried by associated studs 174 which engagethrough side slots in the bars and each bar is provided with a knurledhandle 176 so that it may be easily manipulated to swing sideways aspreviously defined.

The bars 160 and 162 are carried by suitable supports 178 which alsocarry the web guide plates 180 and 182 which prevent the web fromwrapping around the pin wheels as it issues therefrom to the feedingmechanism 20 and suitable biasing springs 184 as shown in FIGURE 6 maybe provided to extend between the pins 186 and 188 on the supports 178and the bars 160 and 162 normally to bias the bars to their closedposition.

Theopposite end of the feed wheel shaft 152, as is shown in FIGURE 6, isprovided iwth a sprocket 190 over which the chain 192 is trained andthis constitutes the web drive for the oscillating feed assembly 20. Thefeed assembly 20 is provided with a pair of driven sprockets 200 and 202over which the chain 192 passes as shown in FIGURE 6 so as to impart thedirections of rotation to these sprockets as indicated by the arrows inthat figure. An idler sprocket 204 is carried by the lever 206 pivotedas at 208 to the frame side piece 210, the opposite counterpart of whichis the frame piece 212, see particularly FIGURE 5, and a biasing spring214 extends between the pins 216 and 218 normally to tension the drivechain 192 as will be clearly evident. To assure good drive connectionbetween the chain 192 and the sprocket 202, an idler 220 is journalledon the frame piece 210 substantially as is shown. The two sprockets 200and 202 drive the shafts 222 and 224 and, as can be seen in FIGURE 5,these two shafts carry the respective pulleys 226 and 228 over which theendless belts 230 are trained.

The assembly 20 as shown in FIGURE includes the opposite depending sidepieces 232 and 234 which, at their upper ends, are pivotally mounted asat 236 and 238 to suitable brackets 240 and 242 on the frame side pieces210 and 212 so as to rock about the axes of these pivot pins 236 and 238under the influence of the oscillating drive previously described.Adjustable bracket ears 250 and 252 are provided on each side piece 232and 234 serving as supports for the drive shafts 222 and 224 and theupper ends of the frame pieces 232 and 234 are tied together by means ofa suitable cross bar 260 whereas the lower ends of the side pieces aretied together by the cross bars 262 and 264 extending between theextension brackets 266 and 268 carried by the lower ends of the sidepieces 232 and 234.

As can be best seen in FIGURE 7, the lower ends of the belts 230 aretrained over the cross bar 270 and 272 which extend between and arecarried by the bracket extensions 266 and 268 previously mentioned. Thebrackets mount the bar 270 in fixed position but allow the bar 272 to bemoved relative thereto. For this purpose, the bracket extensions 266 and268 are slotted as at 274 to receive adjustably the reduced end portions276 of the bar 270 which reduced end portions are engaged by blocks 280which are fixed to the bracket extensions by means of threaded members282 so as to movably position and adjust the bar 270 relative to the bar272.

FIGURE 7 also shows the maner in which the lower ends of the guidestrips 284 and 286 form a mouth for the issuing Web, these strips beinganchored at their lower ends to the cross bars 262 and 264 as is alsoshown in FIGURE 5.

As previously described, the belts 230 are overdriven slightly withrespect to the speed of the feed wheel assembly so that the web istensioned between the feed wheel and the mouth of the assembly 20 fromwhich the web issues.

The two folding means 26 and 28 are carried on a subframe between theside plates 140 and 146 of the machine for vertical adjustment in thefashion indicated in FIG- URE 2. The sub-frame for the folding meansincludes a pair of side members 300 and 302 having depending cornerposts 304, 306, 308 and 310 received in guide brackets 312 and 314. Theupper ends of the corner posts carry the nut members 316, 318, 320 and322 which engage the respective screw members 324, 326, 328, and 330.The screw members are journalled at their upper ends in the cross bracemembers 332 and 334 fixed to and extending between the side plates 140and 146 and these members also secure the threaded members againstlongitudinal movement. Each of the screw members carries a sprocket suchas that indicated by the reference character 336 and an endless chain338 trains about all of these sprockets so that the screw members aresimultaneously rotated in a fashion hereinafter described to move thesub-frame vertically as indicated by the arrows in FIG- URE 2. Asuitable adjustable idler roller 340 is carried by the cross member 332for maintaining the proper tension on the chain 338.

Each of the folding means 26 and 28 is in the form of a blade assemblycarried by the lower ends of a pair of arms 342 and 344, the bladeassemblies being in all essential details identical. A cross frame piece346 interconnects the arms 342 and 344 in each case and, on one side,the arm 342 is journalled by stub shaft 350 to the frame member 300 andat the opposite side, a stub drive shaft 352, see particularly FIGURE 3,journals the arm 344 to the side piece 302. The lower end of each of thearms 342, 344 carry a blade drive shaft 360 as can be 0 best seen inFIGURE 3 which, adjacent its opposite ends,

carries sprockets such as that shown by the reference character 362 andin spaced relation above this shaft 360 in each case, is a much smallershaft 364. Endless chains 366 are trained about each sprocket 362 and acorresponding portion of the small shaft 364. Each of the links of thechain 366 rigidly carry a corresponding end of the blades of which thereare two types shown respectively by the reference characters 368 and370. Because the shaft 264 is much smaller than the pitch diameter ofthe sprocket 362, adjacent blades very rapidly move from wide openpositions to closed positions as they travel over the shaft 364, as willbe evident from a study of FIGURE 3. The larger of the blades 268 ineach case is bevelled on one side and provided with a resilient cover asindicated by the reference character 372 and the next succeeding shortblade 370 is also bevelled as indicated by the reference character 374and is provided with a resilient strip 376 which engages the covering372 to capture, fold and temporarily hold the web as will hereinafter bedescribed in more detail.

The underside of each of the large paddle wheels 368 is provided with abumper such as that indicated by the reference character 378 tostabilize the assembly and prevent direct contact between adjacentblades, it being appreciated that the fold in each case is effectedbetween the mouth or nip formed between adjacent short and long bladesas is shown more clearly in FIGURE 10.

The blade assembly drive can be seen best in FIGURE 2. In FIGURE 2, adrive shaft 380 is provided with a sprocket wheel 382 which drives,through the endless chain 384, the sprocket 386 on a lay shaft 388, seealso FIG- URE 9. The lay shaft 388 also carries a drive sprocket 390which engages with the endless chain 392, the upper flight of whichcontacts and drives the sprocket 394 for imparting drive to the bladeassembly 26 whereas this same chain 392 is trained over the drivesprocket 396 for imparting drive to the blade assembly 28. A suitableidler 398 is journalled on the frame piece 302 to assure proper contactbetween the endless chain 392 and the sprocket 394.

As can be seen best in FIGURE 9, a tensioning idler sprocket 400 isjournalled on a shaft 402 carried by a tensioning arm 404 journalled tothe side frame piece 302 about the pivot axis 406 as established by asuitable retaining and journalling pin asembly 408. It will beunderstood that the shafts 380 and 388 are journalled and fixed to theside frame piece of the machine whereas the pivot axis 406 isestablished relative to the movable frame piece 302. A tensioning spring410 normally biases the arm 404 and maintains the proper tension on thechain 392. The chain 392 also passes over a sprocket 411 journalled onthe shaft 412 carried by an arm 414. The arm 414 is carried by a shaft416 on the frame piece 302 and is thus free to swing about the axisestablished by the shaft 416. The shaft 416 also journals an idlersprocket 418 engaging the chain 392 as shown and for the purpose ofswinging the arm 414, a lateral extension 420 is provided thereon whichcarries a threaded nut member 422 about a swivel pin 414. The nut 422 isengaged by the threaded member 426, the opposite end of which has amiter gear 428 fixed thereto and located within the swivel block 430.The swivel block 430 is rotatable about the axis of shaft 432 which hasthe mating miter gear 434 fixed thereto and which shaft 432 is carriedby the frame side piece 140 of the machine. Thus, when the shaft 432 isrotated, the threaded member 426 is also rotated to swing the arm 414between full and doted line positions as shown in FIGURE 9, the purposeof which will be presently apparent. The shaft 380 is, for the sake ofclarity, not shown in FIGURE 8 but it will be understood that this shaft380 is preferably directly coupled with the main shaft 50 by a suitablesprocket and chain assembly.

The blade assembly drive in each case is completed in the fashion shownin FIGURE 4. The corresponding shaft 352 is provided with a furthersprocket 450 over which an endless chain 452 is trained, the oppositeend of the chain 452 being trained about a sprocket 454 carried by thecorresponding shaft 360, substantially as is shown. For this purpose, ahub member 456 is fixed to the end of the shaft 360 as by a keyway andset screw arrangement as indicated by the reference character 458. Thehub 456 is thus rigidly alfixed to the shaft 360. The sprocket 454 isjournalled on the hub 456 but is fixed for rotation therewith by an endcap plate 460 and suitable retaining fasteners such as that indicated bythe reference character 462 which serve normally to crowd the plate 460against the corresponding end of the sprocket 454 and thus fractionallyhold it for rotation with the hub 456. However, for purposes hereinafterto be described, the sprocket 454 may be released for rotation relativeto the hub 456.-

FIGURES 3 and 4 also illustrate the journal blocks 464 mounted on thearms 342 and 344 and which journal therein the adjustment shafts 466which, as can be seen in FIGURE 2, are provided with manually adjustablelever portions 468 at the side of the machine opposite to the bladeassembly drive just described. Adjacent the drive sides of the bladeassemblies, these shafts 466 carry lateral arms 468 which are linked, asby the rods 470 to arm members 472 formed integrally on the plates 474which, as can be seen best in FIGURE 4, mount the previously describedshafts 364 and which plates 474 are journalled on the hub members 476for rotation about the axes of the shafts 360. Manipulation of theshafts 466, therefore, operate to move the shafts 364 in arcuate pathsabout the axes of the shafts 360, the purpose of which will be presentlyapparent. FIGURE 4 also illustrates that the shafts 364 have thickenedmid portions 480 which carry the resilient guide doughnuts 482 whichengage the inner edges 484 of the various blades to guide them as theypass .over the smaller shaft 364 as previously described. FIGURE 4 alsoillustrates that individual links of the endless chain 366 are providedwith extensions 486 rigidly therewith which carry channel pieces 488receiving the opposite side edges of the blades, suitable fasteners 490serving to complete the connection between the endless chain 366 and thecorresponding blade assemblies.

To complete the description of the blade assemblies, reference is hadnow to FIGURES 2 and 3. As shown in FIGURE 2, an adjustment shaft 500having threaded portions 502 and 504 of opposite thread pitch engages atthese threaded portions with nut members 506 (see also FIGURE 4)suitably carried on the arms 344. As can be seen in FIGURE 1, the shaft500 passes through a suitable slot 510 in the machine frame and is freeto move up and down with relation thereto and is provided with anadjustment hand wheel 512 by means of which the operative positions ofthe blade assemblies 26 and 28 may be adjusted spacin -wise.

Turning now to FIGURE 10, the operation of the device will be described.In FIGURE 10, three positions of the web feeding mechanism are shown,two in phantom lines and one in solid line and these positions areindicated by reference characters A, B and C respectively. The positionsA and C are at the opposite ends of the oscillatory travel of the feedmechanism while the position B is in an intermediate position. Let it beassumed that a definite length between folds has been established whichis, for the sake of description here, greater than the last setup of themachine. Assuming a fixed drive speed for the shaft 50 (FIGURE 8) ascompared with the last set-up, the gear set 84, 86 must be altered so asto impart a more rapid drive to the shaft 88 (FIGURE 8). The reason forthis, of course, is that the feeder mechanism 20 must oscillate througha greater distance than the previous set-up. Therefore, the gear set 84,86 is changed and the stroke of the feed mechanism is altered(increased, in this case) by making the appropriate adjustment of thesliding block 68 in the fly wheel 64 (FIGURES 5 and 8) and, at'the sametime, the blade assemblies 26 and 28 must be spread further apart bymanipulation .of the hand wheel 512 to rotate the shaft 500 (FIGURE 2).Because the sweep of the feed mechanism 20 has been altered, the

same being in an arcuate path, and because the spacing between the bladeassemblies 26 and 28 has also been altered, it will be necessary toreadjust the vertical positioning of the blade assemblies 26 and 28relative to the positions of the feed mechanism 20 at its end points oftravel A and C. For this purpose, as was described in conjunction withFIGURE 2, the blade assemblies are vertically adjustable. To effect thisadjustment, an adjusting shaft 520 is used, see FIGURE 2. A hand wheel524 serves to rotate this shaft and a miter gear set 526, 528 impartsdrive from the shaft 520 to the threaded shaft 326 thus to operate thechain 338 and move the carriage for the blade assemblies vertically aswas previously described. When a pin wheel drive is used, it may benecessary to slightly advance the feed wheels 16 and 18 relative to themain drive of the machine, that is relative to the positions of the feedmechanism 20 and for this purpose, an adjustment lever 530 (FIGURES 1and 8) is provided swinging the arm 532 carrying the idler 534 which,operating in conjunction with the spring biased idler arm 536 and itsassociated idler 538, serves to impart a slight amount of retarding andadvancing action of the pin wheels 16 and 18 relative to the shaft 88 byvirtue of altering the path of the chain 92.

The reason for this adjustment is that in some cases, the webs areprovided with line holes along their edges and necessitate theutilization of the pin wheels 16 and 18 and this type of paper may alsobe provided with transverse lines of perforation precisely at which thefold lines are to be made and it is, therefore, necessary in conjunctionwith such webs, to provide a precise p0- sitioning of the feed mechanismrelative to the position instantaneously of the feed mechanism 20 sothat the folds will be achieved in the proper places relative to the weband the lines of transverse perforation as described.

Now all that remains is to constrain the blade assemblies 26 and 28 tomake the folds at the proper times. It is for this purpose that thepreviously mentioned shaft 432 (FIGURE 9) is provided, one end of thisshaft passing half-Way through the machine as shown in FIG- URE 1 andbeing provided with a hand wheel 532 (see FIGURES 1 and 2). Manipulationof this hand wheel will serve to advance or retard the drive to theblade assemblies relative to the main drive shaft 50 of the machine aswell as with relation to the drive to the pin Wheel assemblies 16, 18.To adjust the attitude of the blade assemblies and particularly theindividual blades thereof with respect to the Web, the previouslymentioned adjustment of the shaft 466 by manipulation of the handlelevers 468 may be made and, lastly, to provide final adjustment of theprecise position of the blade assemblies relative to the pin wheel driveand the main drive of the machine, the collar plates 416 may be loosenedas by backing otf the fasteners 462 (see FIG- URE 4) to allow thesprockets 454 to be positioned as desired relative to the main drive ofthe machine.

When all of the above adjustments are properly made, and as shown inFIGURE 10, the nip or mouth provided between an adjacent short and longblade as identified by reference characters D and E in FIGURE 10 will bepositioned as to attitude and timing precisely to allow the Web to befed in loop fashion when the feed means is at the posiiton C so that thefeed mechanism 20 moves from the end position C toward the position B,the blade D will close quickly upon the blade E and nip the web thereinat the fold line desired and will hold the web against the retreatingaction of the feed means 20. Preferably, there is a slight tension inthe web incidental to the retreat of the feed means 20 away from thesogri ped paper web fold. At the opposite end of the travel, that isposition A, the next set of short and long blades as identified by thereference characters F and G in FIGURE 10 will be positioned in asimilar posi- 9 tion to the blades D and E shown in FIGURE to providethe mouth or nip for receiving the next loop issuing from the feed meansdue to its reversal in motion as it approaches and retreats from theposition A shown in FIGURE 10. Just after the blades F and G have nippedand folded the web, and as the feed means 20 retreats from the pOSitlOIlA, the previously mentioned blades D and E which had just prior to that,nipped the web, will then release the web to allow it to fall asdescribed hereinabove for ultimate disposition on means 30.

With the above description in mind, the sequence of events with respectto the web that has been shown in full line in FIGURE 10 will bedescribed further. The blades H and I are firmly gripping the webwhereas the blades J and K have or are just about to have released theweb. The previously described blades D and E are just about ready to niponto and fold the web whereafter the above described action of theblades F and G will subsequently take place. With the action thusdescribed, there will also be one rectangular area of the web asindicated by the referencecharacter L which is firmly gripped betweenopposite blade assemblies and, therefore, forms a support or platformwhich positively prevents the next succeding rectangular area N, whichis just being laid, from sagging or being affected such that it is notproperly transmitted to the mouth or nip formed by the next blades D andE which are to grip and fold the web. Therefore, preferably the blades Jand K will release the rectangular area L just after the nip and foldaction has been accomplished by the blades D and E, this conditionprevailing for both sides of the machine, of course.

I claim: 1. A machine for zig-zag folding a web of indefinite length toform serially edge-connected rectangular sheets comprising incombination,

feed means for laying the web back and forth along a substantiallyhorizontal path,

first folding means adjacent one end of said path for successively anduninterruptedly capturing, folding and temporaritly holding the web atsaid one end of said path,

second folding means adjacent the other end of said path forsuccessively and uninterruptedly capturing, folding and temporarilyholding said web at said other end of said path,

and drive means connected to said feed means and to said first andsecond folding means for overlapping the temporary holding actions ofsaid folding means whereby the web issuing from said feed means ispresented with a positive support as the feed means moves between theopposite end of said path,

each folding means including a plurality of successive paddles and meansfor carrying the inner ends of said paddles around a closed path havingan inner flight portion extending along a generally straight andvertically disposed line, and mechanism for constratining adjacentpaddles to close upon each other at the upper ends of said flightportions and to separate at the lower ends of said flight portions,whereby the web is captured and folded between adjacent paddles at theupper ends of said flight portions, temporarily held as the paddles movedownwardly along said flight portions and then released at the lowerends of said flight portions.

2. The machine according to claim 1 including horizontally movingconveyor means disposed below said folding means for receiving thefolded web and toward which the folded web is positively moved by theaction of said paddles in passing through said flight portions.

3. The machine according to claim 2 including a defleeting memberbetween one folding means and said conveyor means, and a retardingmember between the other folding means and said conveyor means, saiddeflecting and retarding members being positioned to constrain saidedge-connected sheets to assume generally vertical positions on saidconveyor means.

4. The machine according to claim 1 wherein alternate paddles are ofwidths to project different distances outwardly from said closed path,the opposing inner edge faces of each successive pair of wider andnarrower paddles being substantially parallel and closely spaced whenthe paddles are closed upon each other, the opposing outer edge facesbeing divergent when the paddles are closed, and a resilient strip ofmaterial fixed along the opposing outer edge face of the narrowerpaddle, said resilient strip of material being of a thickness to engagethe opposing outer edge face of the wider paddle when the paddles areclosed upon each other.

5. The machine according to claim 4 wherein said opposing outer edgefaces of said wider paddles are covered with resilient material.

6. A machine for zig-zag folding a web of indefinite length to formserially edge-connected rectangular sheets comprising, in combination,

feed means for laying the web back and forth along a generallyhorizontal path,

a pair of carrier means movable along closed paths adjacent the oppositeends of said horizontal path, said closed paths including innersubstantially vertidal path portions and the directions of movement ofsaid carrier means being such as to sweep said path portions from top tobottom,

and a blade assembly fixed to and projecting outwardly from each saidcarrier mean-s, each blade assembly comprising a plurality of individualpairs of blades which close upon each other at the top of the associatedsubstantially vertical path portion and separate only at the bottom ofthe path portion, whereby the edge-connected sheets are successively anduninterruptedly captured and then folded and temporarily held throughoutthe movement of each said pair of blades through said path portion.

7. The machine according to claim 6 wherein each carrier means includesa pair of drive sprockets connected for synchronous rotation, an idlerspaced above each sprocket with each idler being of substantiallysmaller diameter than the sprockets, an endless chain trained over eachsprocket and the corresponding idler, said blades being rigidly fixed tothe links of said chains.

8. The machine according to claim 7 wherein the length of each linkbetween its pivot centers is substantially equal to the diameter of theassociated idler.

9. A machine for zig-zag folding a web of indefinite length to formserially edge-connected rectangular sheets, which comprises,

feed means for laying the web back and forth along a fixed path,

means for successively and uninterruptedly capturing, folding andtemporarily holding the web at the ends of said path to form theserially edge-connected sheets, the last means comprising a pair ofblade assemblies, each blade assembly including an endless flexiblemember defining a closed path adjacent a corresponding end of said fixedpath and which includes an inner portion extending substantially normalto said fixed path, means for driving said flexible members to move themalong said inner portions of their closed paths in a direction away fromsaid fixed path, and a plurality of pairs of blades carried by eachflexible member which close upon each other at that end of the innerportion of the closed path adjacent said fixed path and separate only atthe opposite end of the inner portion of the closed path, whereby theedge-connected sheets are successively and uninterruptedly captured andthen folded and temporarily held throughout the movement of each saidpair of blades through said inner portions of the closed paths.

11 12 10. The machine according to claim 9 wherein said References Citedflexible members are in the form of pivotally joined UNITED STATESPATENTS links, each pair of blades being rigidly fixed to adjacentlinks, an idler adjacent each end of said fixed path and 1,290,800 H1219270-79 a sprocket remote from each said idler, the flexible mem-2,643,878 6/1953 Lach 270*73 X 5 3,086,768 4/1963 Lach 270-79 bers beingtrained about a corresponding idler and sprocket, each idler being ofsubstantially smaller diam- FOREIGN PATENTS eter than its correspondingsprocket.

11. The machine according to claim 10 wherein the 988,080 4/1965 GreatBntamlength of each link between the pivot centers at its opposite endsis substantially equal to the diameter of the 10 EUGENE CAPOZIO PnmaryExammer associated idler. PAUL V. WILLIAMS, Assistant Examiner

